Leeds Rhinos Jury: Showdown at the Saints could be one of the games of the season

ADAM ANDERSON

Another hard-fought win against Hull FC last week. Hopefully now with another victory under our belts we can get some consistency going.

I thought for the first 20 minutes we were very good, but then slowed down and Hull FC started to get some momentum at that time.

I was particularly impressed with Ash Handley’s performance at centre. The Ashton Golding versus Jack Walker full-back battle was taken up another scale too.

Hopefully, Mitch Garbutt’s injury isn’t too serious as he was a boost to the team’s performance.

This week we come up against the form team and so far the favourites to win the competition in St Helens.

We need to be on the ball and ensure that we don’t make silly errors.

Alex Walmsley being injured is a big loss for them as I don’t think they have a forward that gets through as much work as him.

Hopefully our lads can keep them under pressure and give St. Helens their first loss of the year.

DIANNE HALL

Our first game back at Headingley since last year’s semi-final and ironically against the same opponents. It was a miracle that the game went ahead after the snow storm in the morning.

We set off like a house on fire and looked to be running away with it after two tries in the first 20 minutes. Then Hull seemed to wake up, but once again our defence withstood their attack. We looked a different team without Adam Cuthbertson, who I think would have made a difference to our attack.

The game never really got going for me, as there were too many stoppages for the video referee.

It made the first half an hour long! Which detracts from the earlier kick off time

I thought that Tom Briscoe had his best game for us for a while as did Kallum Watkins. Ashton Golding didn’t do his fight for the full-back position any harm either.

Tomorrow against the league leaders Saints we need to improve in all areas to claim the two points and keep in touching distance of them.

MATT FOWLER

It was a good win last week against Hull FC with notable performances from Richie Myler, Tom Briscoe and Kallum Watkins and a special mention to Josh Walters.

He made 38 tackles in the game from the bench, which is an outstanding effort and probably went unnoticed by many. He is not a flair player but having those types of players doing the hard graft in the middle is important and so it proved last week.

This week we go to St Helens and this will be a good yardstick of where we are at as a team. Saints are high on confidence and our record on their patch is not great.

In order for us to win, we will need to throw more at them offensively than we have shown so far this year.

The best way to nullify their attack is to make them defend. Myler is starting to get a good grip of the team so we need him to free up our back line early and as often as possible.

I am looking forward to a cracking game of high intensity.

Enjoy the game.

CHRISTINE KIDD

It was good to be back at Headingley for the first time this season. It’s looking very different and congratulations to everyone at Headingley for working so hard to enable the game to go ahead.

For the first 20 minutes of the game, Leeds were by far the better team but then they seemed to go off the ball and let Hull back into it.

Richie Myler is proving to be an astute signing and had his best game yet in Leeds colours. His influence can only get better as the season progresses.

The Rhinos’ game management at times was excellent last week.

The game ended closer than it needed to be but the Rhinos goalline defence was excellent and the two points were well earned.

Tomorrow’s game against St Helen’s will be our biggest challenge in Super League so far this season. They are this year’s Castleford and the only team with a 100 per cent record.

Rhinos’ defence will need to be good again and we will need to produce more in attack to come away from the game with any points.

IAN SHARP

Let’s get the most important thing out of the way first, on our return to HQ – £4 for a pint! Are we funding the new stands ourselves?

On the pitch I thought we were by far the best side for 65 minutes, but credit must go to a spirited Hull FC side that never gave up, even when they were 20-6 down.

We had so much ball and possession in the first 25 minutes, but the lack of points on the board is a worry, especially with Saints up next tomorrow, as they look like the team to beat this year.

It was very quiet in the South Stand and seemed to lack all of its atmosphere, but I am sure that will come back in time.

Saints is next up tomorrow and will be the first big test as to where we are this season, as a team.

Richie Myler was good last week, and looks a better player, when Joel Moon is beside him in the halves.

I am sure the game will be won or lost on which six, seven and nine has the most influence.

It could be a cracking game tomorrow.

GRAHAM POULTER

Leeds made a fantastic start to the match and took the game to Hull and duly got their rewards by scoring the opening two tries.

After 20 minutes Hull then started their comeback and caused us plenty of problems.

I thought that Hull’s try that was disallowed by the video referee just before half-time should have stood.

If we had scored a try like that, then I would have been very disappointed to see it refused.

Leeds began the second half just as they did the first, by taking the game to Hull.

Hull, then began to do what they did in the last quarter of the first half and came back into the game.

Only a strong desire to defend prevented us from potentially losing the game.

St Helens away tomorrow night will be a real test to see if we can get over their strong defence and a good test for us defensively.

I fancy us to come away from Saints with two points, though it will be a very close game indeed!